Paul Dix | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/paul-dix
Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2018Sun, 18 Feb 2018 05:44:21 GMT2018-02-18T05:44:21Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2018The Guardianhttps://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttps://www.theguardian.com
How to go from "good" to "outstanding"https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/apr/23/good-to-outstanding-ofsted
Our expert's practical top tips to show Ofsted that you are an outstanding teacher who delivers outstanding lessons<p>There is no such thing as a "no notice" inspection. From the hotel owner who calls local heads the evening before to warn them of the arrival of many Armani suits, to the suspicious number of Audis waiting just around the corner, to the panicked whisper of "they're coming to you next" as a colleague passes you in the corridor. There is always time to prove that you are outstanding, there is still time for a little bit of show.</p><p>The balance is shifting between demonstrating "approved" pedagogy and the ability of the teacher to fully engage an audience. We spend a great deal of time learning new methodologies and technologies. How much time do we spend adjusting our own performance skills? Watch a video of yourself teaching without sound, now listen to the sound track only. Ask a teacher with real expertise in performance to give you a private critique of how you appear to your audience, highlight the nuances of your performance and show you which parts of the lesson fall flat.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/apr/23/good-to-outstanding-ofsted">Continue reading...</a>Teacher NetworkSchoolsOfstedMon, 23 Apr 2012 07:39:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/apr/23/good-to-outstanding-ofstedPhotograph: GuardianOutstanding lessons are like good hip hop - packed with samples of great teaching, mixed with apparent ease. Image from Some Like it Hip Hop performed at Sadler's Wells in 2011. Photograph: GuardianPhotograph: GuardianOutstanding lessons are like good hip hop - packed with samples of great teaching, mixed with apparent ease. Image from Some Like it Hip Hop performed at Sadler's Wells in 2011. Photograph: GuardianPaul Dix2012-04-23T07:39:00ZStop ignoring good behaviour!https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/feb/27/behaviour-management-teaching-strategy
If your school focusses on sorting the bad behaviour of the minority you risk failing the majority<br />• Plus behaviour management teaching resources<p>At the end of an assembly attended by 400 students, three names are called out. Amid chuckles and murmurs of admiration from their supporters the three children shuffle to the front. As they walk down the lines of the year group they wrestle to remove mp3 players, headphones, adjust uniform, wipe off make up etc. As 397 children leave without a word of appreciation for their efforts, three children have attention lavished on them.</p><p>The same scenario is played out in classrooms every day. Nine children quietly lining up are ignored as Kyle is castigated publicly for corridor crimes, 29 children are forgotten as Chelsea enjoys protesting her innocence in the ICT room, "I wasn't on f***ing Facebook!!!".</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/feb/27/behaviour-management-teaching-strategy">Continue reading...</a>Teacher NetworkBehaviour managementEducationSchoolsTeachingMon, 27 Feb 2012 09:29:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/feb/27/behaviour-management-teaching-strategyPhotograph: Martin Argles/GuardianMany schools have forgotten to celebrate the excellent behaviour of the majority of pupils, focussing on the bad behaviour of the 5% instead. Photograph: Martin Argles for the GuardianPhotograph: Martin Argles/GuardianMany schools have forgotten to celebrate the excellent behaviour of the majority of pupils, focussing on the bad behaviour of the 5% instead. Photograph: Martin Argles for the GuardianPaul Dix2012-02-27T09:29:00ZPunishment is not the answerhttps://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/jan/23/punishment-schools-behaviour-management
Damaged children need people, not increasingly severe punishment, says top behavioural management specialist<br />• Plus teaching resources to help you in class<p>Most behaviour systems are based on the "Punishment Road". The idea that for every behaviour there is a punishment to fit the crime; a punishment that is severe enough to give the child a road to Damascus and change their ways. For children who won't "do as they are told" the solution is to punish them, in increments of severity, until they will.</p><p>Walk to the end of the Punishment Road in the criminal justice system and you will find segregation, removal of possessions and pain. How we treat young people who won't do as they are told hasn't changed much in the last 100 years.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/jan/23/punishment-schools-behaviour-management">Continue reading...</a>Teacher NetworkBehaviour managementEducationTeachingSchoolsMon, 23 Jan 2012 08:55:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/jan/23/punishment-schools-behaviour-managementPhotograph: Graeme RobertsonA view of Pucklechurch Young Offenders Unit in Ashfield Detention Centre. The majority of young people imprisoned here will have initially gone through punishments of increasing severity at school. Photograph: Graeme RobertsonPhotograph: Graeme RobertsonA view of Pucklechurch Young Offenders Unit in Ashfield Detention Centre. The majority of young people imprisoned here will have initially gone through punishments of increasing severity at school. Photograph: Graeme RobertsonPaul Dix2012-01-23T08:55:00ZWhy children shouldn't be excludedhttps://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/dec/13/behaviour-management-exluded
A behaviour management expert gives ten reasons not to send problem pupils out of school<p>The pupils we permanently exclude from school are very often damaged children. You know the ones. Not the children who test the boundaries a little, but the ones who regularly burst with anger, the ones who tell you to "f*** off", the ones who run away, the ones who throw stuff at you. Their trust with the adult world has been broken at home and they bring the symptoms of their fractured childhood into school with them.</p><p>We used to call children who couldn't write "stupid" and stand them in the corner. Now we give them what they need to succeed. We used to call children who have been damaged by raw emotional trauma "bad" and then tell them that they don't belong. We still do. Some schools prefer to imprison children in "isolation booths" and make them feel that they are alone with their problems. I meet children who have spent more than 30 days a year in isolation. Children who need to talk to someone are silenced or shunned.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/dec/13/behaviour-management-exluded">Continue reading...</a>Teacher NetworkBehaviour managementEducationSchoolsTeachingTue, 13 Dec 2011 08:59:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/dec/13/behaviour-management-exludedPhotograph: Andy Hall/GuardianA teenage prisoner in Ashfield Prison, near Bristol. Many young offenders have been permanently excluded from multiple schools before ending up in prison. Photograph: Andy Hall for the GuardianPhotograph: Andy Hall/GuardianA teenage prisoner in Ashfield Prison, near Bristol. Many young offenders have been permanently excluded from multiple schools before ending up in prison. Photograph: Andy Hall for the GuardianPaul Dix2011-12-13T08:59:00ZTen top tips for NQTshttps://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/nov/14/top-tips-nqts-behaviour-management
So you tried "Don't smile until Christmas" and it isn't working…<br />• Our guide to behaviour management in class<p>"Don't smile until Christmas..." is the first sign that the "them" and "us" culture is alive and well in our schools. It should be banned.</p><p>If the phrase merely reminds NQTs of the glaringly obvious, that you need to be firm at times, it would be less troublesome. In fact it is part of an attitude that treats children as second-class citizens. If you could become a great teacher by being sour faced, the job would be easy. If teaching behaviour were as easy as "not smiling until Christmas" I would be looking for a job!</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/nov/14/top-tips-nqts-behaviour-management">Continue reading...</a>Teacher NetworkBehaviour managementEducationSchoolsTeachingMon, 14 Nov 2011 09:07:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/nov/14/top-tips-nqts-behaviour-managementPhotograph: Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images/Dorling KindersleyNew teachers don't have to remove their smile to command a class's respect! Photograph: Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images/Dorling KindersleyPhotograph: Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images/Dorling KindersleyNew teachers don't have to remove their smile to command a class's respect! Photograph: Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images/Dorling KindersleyPaul Dix2011-11-14T09:07:00ZPositive behaviour teaching resourceshttps://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/sep/05/behaviour-management-teaching-resources
Award-winning teacher trainer gives his tips for building positive behaviour in the classroom<p>When people talk about behaviour they obsessively search for the instant solution. Some peddle magic dust or behaviour systems that glisten yet quickly fade. Others relentlessly scream for a bigger stick to beat children down with. Both extremes harbour an irresistible idea that there is a short cut to changing behaviour. Some sell the lie that you can provoke sustained behavioural change in others without doing much hard work yourself.</p><p>The truth is that there is no alternative to the hard work: building relationships with those who would rather tell you to "f*** off", resetting expectations with those who trample them, being relentlessly positive and refusing to reward poor behaviour with anger from the teacher.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/sep/05/behaviour-management-teaching-resources">Continue reading...</a>Teacher NetworkBehaviour managementEducationSchoolsTeachingMon, 05 Sep 2011 12:26:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2011/sep/05/behaviour-management-teaching-resourcesPhotograph: Ian Shaw/AlamyIt can take time and effort to build positive behaviour in class. Photograph: Ian Shaw/AlamyPhotograph: Ian Shaw/AlamyIt can take time and effort to build positive behaviour in class. Photograph: Ian Shaw/AlamyPaul Dix2011-09-05T12:26:00Z